President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will commission the newly built Kumasi International Airport on Friday, May 10, 2024, the Transport Ministry has announced.
The statement from the Transport Ministry, headed by Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, added that immediately after the commissioning, the facility would be ready to receive travellers from around the world directly into Kumasi.
He added that the development would significantly alleviate the challenges faced by air travellers in the Ashanti and northern regions of Ghana, who currently need to travel to Accra for international flights.
Again, after the commissioning, the airport will be known as the Nana Agyemang Prempeh I International Airport.
Originally scheduled to open in June, the ministry explained that all requirements have been met, so the project will be commissioned a month earlier.
The $75.23 million Kumasi International Airport Rehabilitation project started in November 2018 and involves expanding the runway, building a new passenger terminal with modern, state-of-the-art facilities, a new apron for larger and even bigger aircraft, multiple service facilities, and a new air traffic control tower.
According to authorities, the existing runway will be extended to 2,300m from the previous length of 1,981m to enable the airport to accommodate wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 737-800.
The Ghana Airport Company estimates that approximately 800,000 air passengers will utilise the new airport annually.
The airport, equipped with modern facilities to make it an outstanding place for air travel, has been touted as one that will enhance air travel services and positively impact the lives of the citizens of the Ashanti region.
Preparation towards the commissioning
The Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has inaugurated a nine-member committee to see to the successful commissioning of the Kumasi International Airport.
The committee chaired by a Deputy Minister for Transport, Hassan S. Tampuli, is to see to the planning of the commissioning and ensure that every activity on the day was orderly and no security hitches were recorded.
The minister has urged the team to develop a work plan that will make the commissioning day successful. He has tasked them with paying attention to every detail and ensuring that every little work that needs to be finalised is completed in readiness for the commissioning.
Mr Tampuli assured the minister they would work to ensure the airport’s commissioning was done successfully.
He said they would take inspiration from the commissioning of the Tamale International Airport and ensure that some little mistakes made during the commissioning of the Tamale International Airport were not repeated.
He noted that they will involve all major stakeholders in the planning to make it a success.